Microwave simmering method and apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for stewing and simmering food in a microwave oven wherein the control causes energization of the microwave generator for a preselected period of time at a preselected low power level correlated with other power levels in the overall heating of the food, including a start-heating, a continued-cooking, and keep-warm cycle. The simmering operation is initiated automatically upon the sensing of the food reaching a temperature slightly below the boiling temperature. The control is selectively operable to provide different times of simmering, as desired by the user.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of simmering food in a microwave oven having a microwave generator having a preselected maximum power level, and an adjustable control including a timer for causing energization of the generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven for selected times and at selected power levels, and means for sensing the degree to which food is said oven has been cooked by the subjection thereof to said microwave energy, said method comprising the steps of: causing said control to energize said generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven at a first power level to raise the temperature thereof to a preselected heated condition, causing said control to energize said generator to deliver microwave energy to said food at a second power level less than said first power level to raise the temperature thereof to a start-simmer temperature subjacent 100° C.;   causing said control to energize said generator to simmer said food for a period of time at a simmer power level which is less than 50% of said maximum power level; and   maintaining the power level of said generator at a maintained-warm power level lower than said simmer power level.   
     
     
       2. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 1 wherein said simmer power level is approximately 30% of said maximum power level. 
     
     
       3. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 1 wherein said period of time during which said generator is energized at said simmer power level is selectively variable. 
     
     
       4. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 1 wherein said period of time during which said generator is energized at said simmer power level is selectively any one of a plurality of different discrete periods of time. 
     
     
       5. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 1 wherein said period of time during which said generator is selectively energized at said simmer power level is 60 minutes. 
     
     
       6. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 1 wherein said period of time during which said generator is energized at said simmer power level is selectively 210 minutes. 
     
     
       7. In a microwave oven having a microwave generator having a preselected maximum power level, an adjustable control including a timer for causing energization of the generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven for selected times and at selected power levels, and means for sensing the degree to which food in said oven has been cooked by the subjection thereof to said microwave energy, apparatus for providing a controlled continuous simmering of food by said oven, said apparatus comprising: means for sequentially causing said control to energize said generator at: (a) a high start-heating power level to bring said food to a preselected heated condition,   (b) at a continuous lower continued-heating power level to bring said food to a start-simmer temperature,   (c) at a further lower simmer power level, and   (d) at a further lower keep-warm power level.     
     
     
       8. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be less than 50% of the start-heating power level. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be less than 75% of the continued-heating power level. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be greater than twice the keep-warm power level. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be approximately 45% of the start-heating power level. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be approximately 60% of the continued-heating power level. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be approximately 3 times the keep-warm power level. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said continued-heating power level is to be maintained for a period of time approximately two and one-half times the duration of said start-heating power level. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be maintained for a variable period of time. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be maintained for any one of a plurality of different selectable periods of time. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be maintained for 60 minutes. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus for simmering food of claim 7 wherein said control comprises means for causing said simmer power level to be maintained for 210 minutes. 
     
     
       19. A method of simmering food in a microwave oven having a microwave generator having a preselected maximum power level, and an adjustable control including a timer for causing energization of the generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven for selected times and at selected power levels, and means for sensing the degree to which food in said oven has been cooked by the subjection thereof to said microwave energy, said method comprising the steps of: causing said control to energize said generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven sufficient to raise the temperature thereof to a start-simmer temperature subjacent 100° C., including the steps of sequentially causing the control to energize said generator at a high start-heating power level to bring the food to a preselected heated condition;   sensing said heated condition of the food;   causing said control to energize said generator at a reduced continued-heating power level as an incident of said sensing means sensing said heated condition to bring said food to a simmer temperature; and   automatically initiating a simmering of said food for a selectable period of time at a simmer power level which is approximately 30% of said maximum power level to maintain said food selectably at said simmer temperature.   
     
     
       20. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 19 wherein the amount of time spent in the continued-heating power level is approximately two and one-half times the amount of time spent at the start-heating power level. 
     
     
       21. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 19 wherein the selectable period of time is selectively (a) 60 minutes, or (b) 210 minutes. 
     
     
       22. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 19 including further steps of maintaining the power level of said generator at a maintained-warm power level lower than said simmer power level, said maintained-warm power level being approximately 10% of said maximum power level. 
     
     
       23. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 19 wherein said sensing means comprises an exhaust gas sensor. 
     
     
       24. The method of simmering food in a microwave oven of claim 23 wherein said heated condition of the food corresponds to 65% of the stable value of said exhaust gas sensor.